Forget Wonderland
by purple-panda95
Summary: Ugh! Outlandish is hard to find! Anyways this is continued from the end of Alice in Wonderland...yeah, that's it. And characters are not listed here because that would be a spoiler.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is an idea I had for an Alice in Wonderland fanfic. This first part begins just before Alice leaves Wonderland. Alice's part tells you when it is. And please forgive me: I'm trying to use a bit of the older English used in the late 1800's, but as I can't recall much before 1999 (not my birth year, by the way—I don't want any crazy internet stalkers…bad joke), I probably won't be able to do very well—my only sources are Alice in Wonderland (yes, by Lewis Carroll) and Through the Looking Glass (again, by LC).**

**Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, don't own Alice in Wonderland or any of the characters (from the book or the movie).**

Tarrant Hightop

"You could stay," I pleaded. She had to stay. Alice couldn't leave Underland.

Alice turned around, her long blonde hair shifting on her shoulders. "What an idea," she smiled. "A bad, crazy, wonderful idea," she added. I smiled. Would she stay? Alice's smile faded. "But I can't. There are questions I have to answer—things I have to do." No, please. Alice has to stay. Alice brought the vial to her mouth and took a sip. She smiled. "I'll be back before you know it."

Yes, Alice probably would be back. But if she returned, she would be older—married with children. "You won't remember me," I admitted. Why would she?

Her smile faded a bit. A curious expression took over her face as she pondered. "Hatter," she began, "why _is_ a raven like a writing-desk?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," I admitted. I knew there wasn't much time left until she would disappear. I leaned forward. "Fairfarren, Alice" I whispered. _Farewell_. She left. I stared at the spot where she had once been. _Alice_.

"Tarrant." Mirana turned me around to face her. I didn't know how long I had been standing there. She had tears in her eyes. She loved Alice, too. "I know this is hard on you."

"Yes," I admitted. "Alice is a very good friend."

Mirana looked at me. Something shimmered in her eyes. She was thinking about something. "You love her, don't you?" she finally asked. "You already miss her terribly—as if she's been gone for years."

Love Alice? Surely the Queen was mistaken. "I miss Alice, yes. Love her, however? Of course not. Very wrong it would be for me to love her. Especially now that she's gone. Alice might not come back. Leaving the Uplands wouldn't make sense. If she were to marry, I mean… Children, even. Especially if she had children," I rambled.

"Tarrant," Chessur purred. "We both know you do."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not in love with Miss Alice." Of course I wasn't. I couldn't be.

Mirana sighed. "Tarrant, I would like you to move into the palace. I don't want you to be lonely."

"Thank you, Mirana," I said. "That's very kind of you."

_A year later…_

_Alice._ She had been gone for a year now. I missed her terribly. I lay down on the floor in front of the window.

_I'm making hats. The room is red everywhere. Alice walks in. I try not to look up at her. For some reason not known to me, I want very much to look at her. She walks and stops beside me._

_ "They're beautiful," she admires._

_ I look up at her. She is still very tall—towering over me. I smile. "It is good to be working at my trade again," I admit. I go back to work._

_ "It's pity you have to make them for her," Alice murmurs._

_ I don't have to ask to know who she's talking about. I'm hatting the Bloody Red Queen. "What is a hatter who can't make hats for the right reasons?" I try to ask, but I cut myself off. I can't escape. I'm trapped—trapped inside my own mind. I can only watch as I lose it. Everything I touch crashes down. I leave a trail of destruction. Tarrant! Get a hold of yourself!_

_ "Hatter!" Alice shouts as she spins me around and cups my face between her hands. I feel safe…comfortable between her hands._

_ Say something. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" I stupidly ask. "I'm frightened, Alice. I don't like it in here; it's terribly crowded." Crowded? I was the only one in here only a few moments ago. "Have I gone mad?" I ask aloud._

_ Alice puts her hand to my forehead. Her hand is cool against my skin. She puts it back against my cheek. "I'm afraid so," she admits. I almost lost it. I would have had she not said anything else. "You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret: all the best people are." She smiles, and I have nothing to do but smile back._

I woke up. I didn't know I had fallen asleep. I sat up. "What is a hatter who can't hat for the right reasons?" I repeat. "What is a hatter who can't hat at all?" I hadn't made a single hat since Alice had left Wonderland. "A nothing—that's what. I'm a nothing."

Alice Kingsleigh

I had just returned to London from my year-long business trip to China. It had been a year and four months since I had left Wonderland. I often cursed myself for ever having done so. I missed Wonderland. I missed the Mirana, and Chessur, and Mallymkun, and Thackery, and Nivens. But most of all I missed Hatter.

"Hatter," I whispered.

"Did you say something, Alice?" my mother asked. She was accompanying me on the carriage ride home. We had moved into the Ascots' manor to prevent my mother from being so alone when I left London.

"Nothing, Mother," I replied.

"Perhaps now that you've returned," Mother began, "you might want to settle down."

"I don't want to marry Hamish, Mother," I protested.

"Alice, you've seen twenty years. It's time you settled down,"  
Mother insisted.

_To marry Hamish would be to settle, indeed,_ I thought. I just needed to wait until I could see the rabbit hole again. I had to get back to Wonderland—or rather Underland. I could never remember why I had left in the first place. Tarrant had asked me to stay. Why did I leave? I had said I needed to answer some questions. I couldn't recall what those questions were and why they would make me leave Hatter. My Hatter.

I tried to think of what he would be doing now. I smiled. He would be having tea with Mallymkun and Thackery. The first time I visited Wonderland, Tarrant had explained to me that it was always teatime in Wonderland.

_"Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" the Hatter asked._

_ I thought about it. I wasn't sure. Ravens were birds. Writing desks were…well, writing desks. "I don't know. Why?" I inquired._

_ "I haven't the slightest idea," said the Hatter_

_ "Nor I," laughed the March Hare._

_ I sighed. "I think you might be doing something better than the time," I began, "than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers."_

_ "If you knew Time as well as I do, my dear Alice," said the Hatter, "you wouldn't talk about wasting _it._ It's _him._ It's quite rude, you know."_

_ "I don't know what you mean," I admitted._

_ "Of course she doesn't!" the Dormouse exclaimed._

_ "Of course you don't," the Hatter repeated. "I dare say you never even spoke to Time!"_

_ "Of course not," I denied. Talking to time? I dare say it's impossible. "But I know I have to beat time when I learn music."_

_ "That explains it, then!" the Hatter explained. "Time won't stand beating. Now, if you kept on good terms with him, he'd do almost anything you liked. For instance, suppose it were nine o'clock in the morning, just in time to begin your lessons: you'd only have to whisper to Time, and round goes the clock! Half past one, time for dinner!"_

_ "I only wish it was," the March Hare whispered. He looked at the spoon he used to stir his tea with. "Spoon."_

_ "Is that the way you manage?" I inquired._

_ The Hatter shook his head sadly. "No, I'm afraid not," he replied. "We quarreled last March. I was singing for the queen. 'He's murdering the time!' she announced. 'Off with his head!'"_

_ "How savage!" I exclaimed. I'd certainly met a number of people whose singing was not pleasant, but to cut off their heads as punishment? What a stupid idea._

_ "And ever since that, he won't do a thing I ask of him!" the Hatter complained. "It's always six o'clock, now; always time for tea."_

The memory brought a smile to my face.

"Happy to be home, are we?" Mother asked, for we had just arrived at the Ascot manor.

"Yes, Mother," I lied.

"I shall have the servants take your things to your room," said Mother. "Let us go say hello. You must have missed everyone terribly."

_Not a bit,_ I thought to myself.

"Alice," Mother stopped me. I almost ran into her arm as she put it out in front to stop me. "Please tell me that your time in China has made you think to wear a corset?" I didn't reply. "I was afraid not. Heavens, child."

We continued into the large house. I only had to greet the Ascots, then I could be off to Wonderland. My heart swelled at the thought.

"Alice!" Lady Ascot exclaimed. "How lovely to see you again!" She seemed a great deal happier than when I had left. She must be up to something—she had never forgiven me for refusing to marry Hamish. She gave me a quick hug, but turned to my mother after a moment or two. I proceeded to greet Lord and Hamish Ascot next.

"He is ready, isn't he?" Mother whispered. I pretended not to hear.

"Of course he is," Lady Ascot whispered back. "Do you think she'll accept?"

"I do hope she does," whispered Mother. What were they talking about? Surely it couldn't be— Oh, goodness.

"I would like to go for a walk in the garden," I stated. "If you don't mind."

"Would you like me to accompany you?" Hamish volunteered.

"I'd like to be alone for a moment, thank you," I politely refused. Of course I didn't want Hamish with me. How would I get to Wonderland if someone was with me?

I didn't give anyone else a chance to insist on going with me. I walked as fast as I could until I was out of their sight. Then I ran. I knew where the rabbit hole was—I could never forget. At least, I thought I couldn't. I ran to where I thought the rabbit hole was, but all that was there was a tree stump surrounded by dirt. Perhaps I had taken a wrong turn? I returned to the gazebo. This is where I had left the last time. Take a right, run through the hedges, up the hill, around the trees, and to the tree stump. I walked all round it, searching for any sign of my Wonderland. Wait a moment. I looked where I had expected the hole to be. The soil didn't match. They buried it. No! They couldn't have! I began to dig. I had to get back to Wonderland. I had to.

I don't know how long I spent digging for Wonderland. Eventually I hit bricks. When I had moved one out of the way, there was only more dirt. Wonderland was gone. Or had it ever really been there? Of course it was. It had to have been. Didn't it? Perhaps not. But it had to! I had been there! Or…maybe it was only a dream after all. Maybe when I had said I hit my head, I wasn't lying. Maybe Wonderland wasn't real. But…if Wonderland wasn't real…then neither was Tarrant. My Tarrant.

_Give up, Alice,_ said a voice in the back of my mind. _He's not real; he's only a figment of your imagination. Give up. Do what everyone wants you to. Forget Wonderland._

"Marry Hamish?" I responded aloud. "Forget Wonderland?"

_You know it's what you should do,_ the voice whispered. Maybe I should just give up. Everyone wanted me to marry Hamish. And when Margaret visited later this afternoon she would be so pleased. Hamish had been planning to propose anyway, had he not? Perhaps this was for the best. I would forget about Wonderland, and marry Hamish.

I had no choice but to return.

"Alice, dear," Mother worried, "where have you been? What happened to your dress?" I had forgotten that my dress was covered in dirt from my digging.

"I fell into the dirt," I lied.

"Well, let's get you cleaned up," Mother said. "We shall have just enough time to have tea. Then Hamish wishes to speak to you."

I knew what he wanted to speak to me about. It wasn't hard to guess. I wanted to prolong the time until then, but I couldn't. I washed myself and went down for tea. That, too, passed too quickly.

"Alice, may I have a word with you out under the gazebo?" Hamish inquired. _"Alice, meet me under the gazebo in precisely ten minutes,"_ Hamish had once said. This all felt very familiar.

We walked to the gazebo, but now there was no one to watch us. He took my hands and got down on one knee. "Alice Kingsleigh," he began. Yes, this was very familiar. "Will you be my wife?"

Only one thing changed this time. This time, I said, "Yes."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Goodness, I'd never leave the story at that. And kudos to anyone who recognized the teatime bit. And anyone who found the hidden message in Tarrant's speech—you're brilliant. Except for you, Evita (haha, inside joke)—I pointed it out to you. Here's chapter two! Oh and don't kill me about the whole Alice/Hamish thing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland (the book or the movie).**

Mirana of Marmoreal

I must check on Tarrant. He's been so upset by Alice's leaving Underland. He never leaves his room, he never takes tea, he doesn't even hat anymore.

His door is closed again. When I left an hour or so ago, I had left the door open, hoping Tarrant would come out. He must have closed it. It wasn't locked, though. I had taken away his key for precisely this reason.

"Tarrant?" I whispered, peeking my head in the room. He lay asleep on the floor in front of his window. He was only peaceful when he slept. When he was awake he was shouting for Alice or letting the madness speak for him. Hatter's insanity had only gotten worse since Alice left. It pained me so to see him so heartbroken. But there was nothing we could do about it. The Uplanders closed off the portal. And mirrors almost never opened any more. We couldn't send anyone to fine Alice, and Alice wouldn't return.

Tarrant shifted in his sleep. He mumbled something incoherent. "Alice," he called. Had he waken? Or was he simply speaking in his sleep? "Alice," he repeated, louder this time. "Alice, no!" He was shouting now. "No, Alice! Don't do it! Please, Alice! No!" I ran to him.

"Tarrant," I pleaded. "Tarrant what's wrong?"

"Alice, no!" he repeated. Tears streamed down both our faces. "Please, Alice," he sobbed. "Don't."

His eyes were orange—a dangerous color. "No!" he shouted. He was no longer pleading. "No!"

"Tarrant, stop!" I pleaded. He had begun to throw a violent fit again, throwing anything in sight.

"Leave!" he ordered. I gave him a pleading stare. _Please, Tarrant._ "Now," he ordered.

"Tarrant, you're not yourself," I reasoned. The madness had taken over him again.

"Now!" he bellowed. I didn't move. "Why, ye slurking urpal slackush scrum! Get out!"

"Tarrant," I whispered. Tears flowed down my face now. I quickly escaped from the room, followed by the sounds of heartbroken sobs and furious crashes.

_Please return Alice._

_Seven months later_

Alice Kingsleigh

I woke with a stir. The image of a man with brilliant orange hair and bright green eyes remained in my head. _Tarrant._

_ But he's not real,_ the voice said. That voice spoke to me whenever I thought of Wonderland. _If you say anything about your precious Wonderland, they'll throw you in the loony bin!_

_ Perhaps that's where I belong,_ I retorted.

_You and I both know you do,_ whispered the voice. _I dare say, you dream up imaginary places, and you hear voices in your head!_

_ Only one,_ I corrected. _And I'm trying to fix that._

_ Oh, shut it, _ordered the voice. _You're not getting rid of me, so you may as well get over it. Go ready yourself for the day. You know Hamish is going to pester you about why you refuse to sleep with him—in both senses of the phrase._

_ It's not proper to think of such things, _I scolded. The voice was right, however. I refused to share the same room as Hamish.

_Who's to say that you're proper?_

I sighed. I hated when the voice was right. I proceeded to ready myself. Today would be another long one.

I looked in the mirror once I finished. Why had it been aimed so high? I adjusted it to aim lower, so I could see myself. Wait a moment…

I moved my hand towards the mirror. I couldn't touch it. I felt something, but it was as if a film of water replaced the glass.

_Don't do it,_ the voice whispered. _You know you're only dreaming._

_ No,_ I disagreed. _No, this is real._ It had to be, hadn't it? Maybe I ought to check. I pinched my arm and winced. _It's real!_

"Alice," Hamish called. He was just outside the door. "I need to have a word with you, darling."

I needed to make haste. I quickly stepped through the mirror, then to the side. Hamish wouldn't be able to see me.

I could only vaguely hear what went on on the other side of the looking glass.

"Alice, dear," Hamish called. He opened the door. "Where is that girl?" The door closed.

I waited a moment, for fear of his return. It should be safe to peek. My bedroom was empty. I looked back to the mirror-room. It looked like my bedroom, but reversed. For example, my bed had been on the left side (from the doorway), but now it was on the right. I suppose my right hand must be my left hand, and my left hand must be my right.

"Wonderland," I whispered. This had to be it. Where else could one walk through a mirror?

I placed my hand on the doorknob. The door made a small squeak as it opened. I opened my eyes—I hadn't realized I closed them in the first place.

It was the house. It _was_ reversed, but I hadn't been expecting to see this. Perhaps if I go outside…

I hesitated at the front door. I didn't want to have my hopes crushed again.

_Where's your muchness, Alice? _asked a voice in my head. This was not the first voice that I had heard so often. This was different—almost like Tarrant's.

"Tarrant," I whispered.

_That's right, _whispered the voice. _What would he say if he saw you here? 'You've changed, Alice,' he'd say. 'You've lost your muchness again.'_

The voice was right. I had lost my muchness. I took hold of the doorknob and twisted. My heart skipped a beat at the sight behind the door.

"Wonderland," I whispered.

Nivens McTwisp (the White Rabbit)

"Good morning, my Queen," I greeted the White Queen.

She still did not smile. How could she? Alice left and Tarrant was almost as good as gone. He never left his room. "Nivens, I have asked you before to call me Mirana," she reminded me.

"Yes, my Quee—Mirana," I corrected. "Has anyone found the Oraculum yet?"

"Not that I have word of," she sighed. Mirana herself had thought of the plan. If we found the Oraculum—it had been lost after the battle on the Frabjous day—we would be able to see whether Alice would return or not.

"We'll find it soon," I reassured her. "And Alice simply must return. She said she would, you know."

"Yes I know," said the Queen. "I only wish she would do it soon."

"My Queen!" huffed a White Knight. He shouted so suddenly it gave me a slight jump. He ran down the throne room to the both of us. "Your Majesty, I've found the Oraculum."

Mirana's face brightened at the word. "Hand it over." She rolled out the Oraculum, letting it sprawl over the steps and floor. We started scanning the scroll at today—the Ibswin Day. It showed a picture of Tarrant, deep, emotional pain marring his face. What his face read wasn't what caught our attention, however. Next to him was a bundle of long, curly hair.

"Alice," Mirana whispered, giving me a slight startle. "She's returned! Rook, send Chessur to greet her. Have him bring her here."

"Yes, your Majesty," the Rook nodded. He left the throne room.

Mirana beamed down at me. "She's returned, Nivens," she smiled.

"Yes, my Queen," I began, "but what will this do to her? What will happen when she sees the Hatter?"

Her smile faded. "I'm afraid I don't know," she admitted.

Alice Kingsleigh

I smiled. I was in Wonderland again. I even remembered where I was at that specific moment. I was in the wood where I had escaped from the Bandersnatch the last time I was in Wonderland.

"Alice!" a familiar voice purred. "So good to see you again, love!"

"Chessur!" I exclaimed. His smile wasn't as wide as I remembered. "I've missed you!" I embraced Chessur.

"Alice, love," Chessur began. "Mirana wishes to have a word with you. It's quite urgent, actually. We need to get to the castle as soon as possible."

"Is something wrong?" I inquired. Chessur's already small smile faded completely.

"I think it's best if I leave that to the White Queen," he whispered.

I very nearly worried myself sick on the way to Salazen Grum. I could only think of Hatter. My Hatter. Chessur was no help at all. He wouldn't tell me anything.

"Alice!" the White Queen exclaimed as we reached the throne room.

"Mirana!" I greeted. She hugged me tightly, but pulled me back, holding me by the arms.

"What's wrong, Mirana?" I finally asked. Her smile faded.

An eternity seemed to pass between my question and her answer. "It's Tarrant," she finally whispered.

_No! _"Where is he?" I demanded. She didn't say anything. "Please, Mirana! You have to tell me!"

"He's not himself, Alice," she reasoned.

"I don't care!" I shouted. "I have to see him!"

"He's in your old room," she whispered. I ran. I ran for the room I had stayed in before I slayed the Jabberwocky. I ran to comfort my friend. I ran to see my love. I ran to see Tarrant.

The door didn't stop me for long. There he was. He lay on the ground in front of a large window.

"Hatter?" I called. "Tarrant?"

"Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" he whispered. Hearing his voice again brought a smile to my lips. I walked over to him and sat down. He sat up and turned to face me. His bright green eyes locked on mine.

"Let me think about it," I replied. I didn't have to think long, for soon after my statement I knew the answer. "Because they both inspire one to think. No matter how different they are—as if from different worlds—they belong together."

"Alice?" he whispered. Had he snapped out of it? "Alice, is that really you? Because sometimes I think I see you here, but you're really not. And it does upset me so. I seem to be getting madder by the day." He laughed as he continued to ramble, getting faster with each word. "Madder, Hatter—they rhyme! Madder, Hatter. Madder, Hatter, Madder—"

"Hatter!" I interrupted.

"Haz…" he stopped. I laughed. I had my Hatter back again. "Alice, I've been considering things that begin with the letter 'M'. Muchness…mop up…missing…marriage." His eyes were flitting abotut he room as he spoke, but on the last word they stopped on me.

"Hatter…" I began. Surely he couldn't have… But I wanted him to, did I not? Yes, I did. I had to ask. "Hatter, are you asking me to marry you?"

"Or to be my wife, whichever you prefer." He looked down as he continued to play with my hands. I smiled. My Hatter.

"Tarrant, I—"

He cut me short. He pulled my ring finger closer to his face. "What is this?" Tarrant looked up at me again. His eyes were a dark blue. I had to look to see what he was talking about. My gold wedding ring glinted in the little sunlight shining through the window. No, he doesn't understand.

"Hatter, it's not what you—"

"No!" he screamed, a Scottish accent replaced his own. His eyes turned orange. Tarrant got up in one fluid movement. "No!" he screamed again. He began to destroy anything and everything within reach.

"Hatter!" I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. "Hatter!" I grabbed his arm. The look of betrayal in his eyes cut me deeper than a knife. "Tarrant, I left him. He thinks I'm dead. If I'm dead, then we're not married anymore. The only reason I married him was because I didn't think I could get back to you. I love you, Tarrant." I stroked his cheek. His eyes returned to the sad blue.

"But you're not dead," he whispered. "When you go back, he'll see you."

"I'm staying here, Tarrant," I promised. "I'm never leaving Wonderland again. I want to stay here with you."

"Alice…" Tarrant trailed off. He leaned forward. I had just realized that my hands cupped his face. Tarrant leaned in until his lips met mine. He pulled them away just as soon as they had touched. "Alice, you're still m—m—married."

"Hatter, if they think I'm dead up there, then I'm not married up there anymore. If I'm not married up there, then I'm not married anywhere." I had to be right. I didn't know what I would do if I wasn't. Surely I was right, though.

Hatter's eyes brightened to green. "Alice, you're back!" he exclaimed. Then he pulled me close and kissed me with such passion it made my head spin. I kissed him back, but I had to pull away for one thing.

"Hatter," I gasped.

"Yes, Alice?" he whispered.

"Yes." A Cheshire Cat grin spread across my face. "Yes, I would like very much to marry you."

**Author's Note: Yes, there is another chapter, but it's just the epilogue. I'm planning on doing a prequel (already in the process of being written) from Tarrant's perspective.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Okay, this is just the epilogue, but I think it's pretty clever, so I'd read it if I were you. There are a couple things in here you might recognize. And for future reference, Mallymkun is the Dormouse, Thackery Earwicket is the March Hare, and Nivens McTwisp is the White Rabbit.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland (the movie or the book).**

_Eight months later_

Alice Kingsleigh

"You look beautiful," Mirana reassured me.

"I'm just so nervous," I admitted.

"Everyone gets nervous on their wedding day," Mirana laughed. "But you needn't be. Tarrant loves you."

I smiled. _She is right, you know, _the second voice whispered. I hadn't heard the first voice since I returned to Wonderland. _He does love you._

_ I know,_ I thought. I couldn't stop smiling—then again, I didn't want to.

"Nivens," Mirana began. "You _are _sure that the Uplanders think Alice is dead, correct?"

"Yes, Mirana," Nivens replied. "They had been talking about it for a while, but it was only last week they had a funeral—no body, of course!"

"Of course," Mirana laughed.

"Nivens, how is Thackery?" I inquired. Tarrant had asked Thackery to be his best man. I had asked Mirana to be my maid of honor. Mallymkun had agreed to be the flower girl—though she thought it was a dreadful idea. Chessur agreed to be the ring bearer. And Nivens was conducting the ceremony.

"He's just as twitchy as usual," Nivens chuckled. "Forgive me but I must get to my place. And Alice: you look lovely."

I smiled. NIvens left for the courtyard. "Come along, Alice," said Mirana. "We must get to our places as well."

Mirana and I walked to the courtyard. A corner was the only thing keeping me from seeing my Hatter.

"This all worked out impossibly well," Mirana thought aloud.

"Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast," I mumbled. Mirana smiled.

_Well? _The second voice whispered. _Go on._

_ One: Wonderland is real._

The music started playing.

_Two: It's my new home._

Mallymkun and Mirana walked into the courtyard.

_Three: Tarrant Hightopp is real._

I entered the courtyard, walking down the aisle.

_Where is he?_ Tarrant. He's not there.

I reached Nivens. "Nivens, where's—" I began to say.

"Alice!" Tarrant exclaimed. I turned around. Tarrant was rushing down the aisle. "Alice, I'm so sorry I'm late. I was home making tea, but I didn't know it was time to be here—it _is_ always six o'clock, you know. And so I rushed here as fast as I could—"

"Hatter!" I interrupted.

"Buz…" he trailed off.

"You're terribly late, you know. Naughty," I teased. _Four: Hatter is late to his own wedding. _Tarrant smiled.

Nivens chuckled. "Are we ready now?" he inquired. Tarrant and I nodded.

_This is it,_ the voice whispered. _This is what you've been wanting—what he's been wanting, too._

_ Yes, I know, _I replied.

"Tarrant, do you take Alice to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Nivens asked.

"I do," Tarrant beamed.

_Five: Tarrant wants to marry me._

_ You want to marry him too, don't you?_ inquired the voice.

"And Alice, do you take Tarrant to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Nivens asked.

My answer was to both questions. _Six: _"I do."

_The End_

**Author's Note: Don't kill me! *winces* Hey, she could've ended up with Hamish. *shudders* Anyway, I'm writing a prequel. It's from Tarrant's point of view, and goes on throughout the movie. It'll be a while before it's up, because it takes a while to write, and I'm trying to have someone beta it. After that, I'll go through this, edit it (there's a lot of problems with Underland references), and lengthen it. Thanks for the review (yes, that's singular). Hopefully I'll get more?**


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